Transitional & Permanent Housing

Preserving Historic Properties Can Create Affordable Housing

Maintaining a stock of permanently affordable, supportive, and safe housing is a challenge in our community, and COTS has pursued opportunities to preserve historic properties as well as create new housing that meets the needs of the people we serve. These properties allow us to engage with hard-to-house neighbors all the way from Coordinated Entry to Safe and Permanently Housed.

Our buildings are supported by our Director of Housing Services, by Resident Managers who help solve problems and build community, and by our COTS Housing Retention Specialist.

Permanent Housing Properties

95 North Ave - 12 studios and 2 one-bedroom units

Wilson Hotel - 22 units of single occupancy permanent affordable housing.

St. John’s Hall - housing up to 26 residents in 18 single-resident occupancy rooms and 4 apartments.

Canal Street Apartments - In cooperation with the US Department of Veterans Affairs, COTS constructed a new facility in Winooski to provide transitional housing to 20 homeless veterans. The building has been converted into permanent affordable housing, with a preference for veterans.

Main Street Family Housing - Scheduled to open in 2024, it will provide 16 units of permanent affordable housing to families exiting homelessness. Sharing a site with Main Street Family Shelter means residents will have access to the supportive care team for families right next door.

Transitional Housing Properties

Smith House - COTS was able to transform a donated rooming house given by the First United Methodist Church of Burlington into transitional housing to assist homeless individuals and families with their steps toward permanent housing. The Smith House has 7 units of transitional housing (bedrooms with a 4-6 month stay) and 3 units of permanent housing (two-bedroom apartments and the resident manager who lives on-site).

Exterior of COTS permanent housing: The Wilson Hotel.